Machine knitting

ABSTRACT

Seamless bifurcated tubular fabric warp-knit with a filigreelike net structure is provided for panty hose and like uses.

United States Patent Titone [4 1 Mar. 28, 197 2 [54) MACHINE KNITTING1,078,914 11 1913 Gabe] ..68/l95 ux [72] Inventor: Seymour C. Titone,Birchrunville, Pa. FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Assigneeh TimeResearch & Development p 1,059,202 3/1954 France ..60/l95 lion,Burlington, NJ. OTHER PUBUCATIONS [22] Filed: July 18, 1969 Darlington,Seamless Warpknit Stockings and Tights" The [211 PP 842,867 HosieryTrade Journal" v01. 74, No. 879, (Mar. 1967 pp. 74

7 thru 77) Publication The Hosiery Trade Journal Raschel Seam- [52] US.Cl ..66/87, 66/l77, 66/195 51 Int. Cl. ..D04b 23/02 [58] Field oiSearch..66/87, 190-195, Primary Exammer Rnald Fcldbaum 66/175477Anorney--McClure, Weiser & Millman [56] References Cited [57] ABSTRACTUNITED STATES PATENTS Seamless bifurcated tubular fabric warp-knit witha filigreelike net structure is provided for panty hose and like uses.3,555,853 l/l97l Diehl et al. ..66/87 2,990,703 7/ l 961 Bialostok 5Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATEMTED MR 2 8 I972 SHEET 1 UP 4 #mmrmSEYMOUR C. TITONE PATENTEDFMR28 I972 3,651,667

mumumumu.

RIGHT DRUM LEFT DRUM m l/bvm/a I SEYMOUR C. TITONE M Mu/WM mLLml mLLmmRIGHT DRUM PATENTEBMAW 1972 3,651,667 sum 0F 4 u ao 99 98 97 96 95 94pwzewme SEYMOUR c. TITONE A TTO/PIVEYI.

MACHINE KNITTING Reference is made to my pending patent application,Ser. No. 694,655 filed 29 Dec. 1967, for disclosure of a basic methodfor warp-knitting bifurcated tubular fabric articles in fabric articlesare designated by broken lines extending beyond the edges of the bandand are referred to by the letter C followed by the numbers of therespective portions to be cut apart (e.g., C-l2, C23, etc.).

seamless form. A Raschel machine suited to practicing that 5 FIG. 1ashows an artists stylization of a fragment of the method, and for doingso to make the fabric disclosed in the fabric band (one thickness only)of FIG. 1 to convey an impresent application, is known in the trade asthe Fashion pression of the filigree-like appearance of the fabricwithout Master machine, is available commercially from Cocker attemptingto depict photographically what is too intricate to Machine & FoundryCompany, Gastonia, North Carolina, and follow readily with the eye.Visualization of the intricacies of is disclosed in its essentials in mypending patent applicati the actual structure will be aided byconsideration of the sublsdersNtol. 752,587 fileid l3hSept. 1968, filedjointly with Walter cfil ng se nd efafhcompanyt'iing tablzs. u

. ie an assigne to t at company. e a r1c artrc es 0 1s inven on are n1tconvenren y on A primary object of the present invention is provision ofan a h l m hine having a least a dOZen yarn guide bars: two attractivefili -like war -k it structure. for the basic net on the frontneedlebed, two for the basic net Another object is incorporation of suchstructure in seamn th a needlebed, two for eonneeling the rightmost gless bifurcated tubular fabric articles useful as panty hose and two forconnecting the leftmost edge, and four intermediate the like. bars (twoeach for each of the two inner edges of the bifur- A further object isRaschel knitting thereof. cated portions). The description will be basedupon a four- Other objects of this invention, together with means andteen-bar machine (such as the aforementioned Fashion gtethorlllsftornattaining the various :bjgClS, will be apparJe nt Mtaster) withbass f; an; fi gotbthreaded, 3e.,l o:t." Thle rom t e o owing escr1pt1onan t e accompanymg tare erence numer s or t e gu1 e ars are un er me orita grams. icized to distinguish them readily from the low-numbered nee-FIG. 1 is a flat view of a band of bifurcated tubular fabric dlenumerals. The needles are numbered from right to left, as warp-knitaccording to this invention; is conventional. Intermediate guide bars Q,1,, and 2 are ac- FlG. la is an enlarged detail view of asingle-thickness portuated or shogged by pattern chains (two alternativechains tion of FIG. 1 in stylized form rather than photographic per bar)on a drum at the left side of the machine, and the rest representation;of the guide bars are controlled from the usual drum and pat- FlG. 2 isa schematic threading diagram for the yarn guide tern chains at theright end of the machine. The pattern chain bars of a Raschel machinepatterned to make the tubular link numerals (0, 2, 4, etc.) for therespective guide bars are fabric of the preceding views; referred to thedrum end of the machine.

FIG. 3 is a point pattern or schematic stitch diagram for the Thefollowing table lists the starting points (front needlebar respectiveguide bars thereof; and up) for the threaded guide bars.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary fabric point pattern or schematic stitch diagramof the construction at the outer edges of the TABLEI band and along thecenter line of the unitary or wide portion and the inner edges of thebifurcated or narrow portions.

In general, the objects of the present invention are accom- S guide 5'1"" plished by warp-knitting seamless tubular fabric having a mm mfiligree-like net construction wherein each threaded yarn 40 guide forthe basic net is patterned to stitch consecutively on 22 Z2 each ofthree adjacent needles so that the intermediate needle Right 1 receivesa stitch following each stitch on either of the flanking Right 4 2 0191,192 needles. The net is formed by two guide bars per bed, each L f ig threaded two in, one out, four in, one out over substantially I g-:22: their entire length but out of phase as to the number in. Two LeftE m 97:98 connector guide bars, one for each bed, each threaded at oneLef 9 414 95,96 guide only, duplicate the action of the bars for thebasic net at Ri m l 2 each edge of the band, except that one of theflanking needles g, 2 [1 5 is outside the band, and instead of stitchingon that needle the Right 1 3 m 1,2 guide crosses over and stitches onthe edge needle in the other Right 1i bed.

F l0. 1 shows a band of fabric as produced according to this invention.The band comprises a succession of unitary wide FIG- 21Sthecorresponding threading d1agram. Gu1de bar A tubular portionsalternating with pairsdofbsifde-by-sdide narrow olnkthe frontbbed2anddb'ilrt Q (Ln the back bleddarexhhzeadeti tubular portions(sometimes calle i urcate portions 8 1 as are t e respecti e e 5. Our 0herein) and joined end-to-end thereto. The various parts into thosebars, which form the basic net of the fabric, are threaded which theband is divided or proposed to be divided are two One foul one outremaining Out Of Phase as referred to by appropriate letters (B for thebody or wide port0 th num r in) Over the por ion of the bed lengthomitted tions, and L for the leg or narrow portions) and by successivefrom the view in the interest of simplification. The indicated numbers(1, 2, etc.; and also by l, 2', etc. for the leg porandwidth is 192needles. tions). The interchange locations between body and leg por- Thenext table gives the chain readings for the respective tions aredesignated by transverse broken lines thereacross gulde The intermediatebars ha t pat s a and referred to by the letter I followed by the numberdesignated by the bar number followed by A and B, respecdesignatingthose portions (e.g., ll, [-2, etc.). Transverse tively, to denote therespective bifurcated (or leg) and unitary locations along which theband is to be severed into individual or o y) P ern- TABLE II Right drumLeft (double chain) drum Right drum Guide Bar No 1 2 3 4 6A 6B 7A 73 8A8B 9A 9B 11 12 13 14 Needlebed:

TABLE II Right drum Left (double chain) drum Right drum Guide Bar No 1 23 4 6A 613 7A 713 8A 8B 9A 9B 11 12 13 14 N eedlebed' FIG. 3 shows theresulting stitch patterns schematically in point pattern form. From thatview it is apparent that guide bars l and A on the front bed zigzaglaterally exactly out of phase with one another to both right and leftof an intermediate needle position, stitching successively at eachposition so that each intermediate needle of the three upon which eachbar stitches receives a stitch following each stitch on either of theneedles flanking it. Bars l 3 and Hstitch likewise on the back bed. Inthis way a panel of fabric having the basic net is formed on the frontbed, and a like fabric panel is formed opposite and parallel to it onthe back bed. In the unitary or body portion the singly threadedintermediate bars substitute for an unthreaded central position on thosebasic bars and stitch likewise. Thus, 152 is like 2 B like A, Q like 11,andfl like 1 3 The remaining guide bars function to connect the outeredges (land l l at the right, A and Eat the left) of the two fabricpanels into tubular form. These connector bars are patterned singlythreaded at edge positions where the basic bars are unthreaded so thatthe resulting structure is identical with that in the panels proper,thereby rendering the construction truly seamless. Each such bar ispatterned like the corresponding bar forming the basic net except thatthe intermediate" needle is located at the edge of the band so thatstitching can shift to one flanking needle position only, whereuponafter stitching on the intermediate (i.e., edge) needle the guidecrosses over and stitches on the corresponding edge needle of the otherbed before returning to stitch on the first bed.

When intermediate bars 6, 1, Q, and 2 are in their A pattern, theyinterconnect the fabric panels along the respective inner edges (landgat the right, 6 and at the left) of the narrow tubular portions wherethe fabric is bifurcated.

F IG. 4 shows schematically the fabric stitch pattern along theoutermost edges and the inner edges or center panel portion. The barsforming the basic net are shown in single lines, solid on the front bedand broken on the back bed, and the top row of bar numerals immediatelybelow the stitch diagram identifies representative yarn ends guided byeach of such guide bars. The stitches made by the connector guide barsare shown in double lines shaded variously to aid in following themvisually from course to course, and their reference numerals appear inthe lowest row. The numerals above the stitch diagram denote theneedles, and it will be understood that the diagram is broken away atthe missing needle numerals, as well as fragmentary along the needlepositions adjoining the portions broken away. In this view the crossingover of the connector bars from one needlebed to the other is readilyseen, as is the duplication of the basic net pattern by the intermediatebars in the unitary or B portion shown extended centrally toward the topof the view, where the pattern along the outer edges remains the same asin the lower or A pattern portion, where it is set forth.

It will be understood that, in Table II and FIGS. 3 and 4, only a singlerepeat, constituting four courses, of each different pattern is shown.Each such pattern portion for the intermediate bars usually is repeateddozens or hundreds of example.

The filigree-like appearance of this fabric is especially attractive ingarment fabrics. Its construction has a desirable elasticity and isadapted to fitting a wide range of sizes while maintaining itscharacteristic appearance. Manufacture thereof according to thisinvention is quite simple and reliable, as well as economical.

The inyentign itself is defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In double needlebed warp-knitting, wherein a pair of panels of fabricof equal band width are knitted opposite and parallel to one another andtheir opposing lateral edges are knitted together simultaneously to formseamless tubular fabric, the improvement comprising forming a basicfiligreelike net construction thereof with four basic yarn guide bars,being two bars per bed, each bar having its yarn guides threaded two-in,one-out, four-in, one-out over substantially the entire panel width andout of phase with one another; patterning each basic bar to stitch witha four-course repeat, yarn from each threaded guide stitching insuccessive courses on a given needle, then on an immediately adjacentneedle to one side of the given needle, then back on the given needle,then on an immediately adjacent needle to the other side of the givenneedle, and repeating; interconnecting the edges with four outerconnector yarn guide bars, being two bars per bed, one bar at eachfabric panel edge, each connector bar having only a single guidethreaded; and patterning the respective outer connector bars to stitchin like manner to the basic bars but interchanging from bed to bed uponreaching the edges of the band and thereby connecting the fabric panelsalong their edges into seamless tubing.

2. Warp-knitting according to claim 1 to form a furcate fabric articlecomprising a plurality of side-by-side partialwidth tubes for part ofthe article length and bordering an intervening locus of furcation, andforming unitary partial-width tubes for the rest of the article length;including knitting with four intermediate connector yarn guide bars, twoper bed, each having only one guide threaded, along each such locus offurcation in place of threaded guides of the respective basic barsthereat, patterning the intermediate connector bars like the outerconnector bars to interconnect intermediate edges of the respectiveside-by-side tubes throughout the furcate part, and patterning theintermediate bars like the basic bars for the unitary tubing throughoutthe rest of the length of the tubular fabric to form the basic netconstruction.

3. Warp-knitting bifurcated tubular fabric according to claim 2,utilizing chain readings for the respective yarn guide barssubstantially as follows:

TABLE II v s h g lepattern w n lrrtgchanalng patterns Singl p rn GuideBar No 1 2 3 4 6A 6B 7A 7B 8A 8B 9A 9B 11 12 13 14 Needlebed:

wherein F denotes front needlebed and B denotes back needlebed; whereinthe basic yarn guide bars are denoted by l, 2 Q, and g1, outer connectoryarn guide bars are denoted by 2,1, l l and Q, and intermediate yarnguide bars are denoted by Q, 1, Q, andi; and wherein side-by-sidepartialwidth tubes are produced when the intermediate yarn guide barsfollow the A pattern, and unitary full-width tubing is produced when thesame bars follow the B pattern.

4. Warp-knitting according to claim 3, utilizing starting wherein theband width is 2w needles.

5. Process of Raschel knitting alternately bifurcated and unitaryseamless tubular fabric having a filigree-like net construction,comprising utilizing a plurality of partially threaded rows of yarnguides knitting a panel of fabric on a front needlebed, utilizing aplurality of partially threaded rows of yarn guides knitting a panel offabric on a back needlebed, each such row of yarn guides being threadedx-in, y-out, z-in, y-out, where each of x, y, and 1 (respectively, four,one. and two) is greater than zero but small with respect to the totalnumber of needles in the band width, with the unthreaded yarn guides inthe rows for each bed being out of phase with one another; utilizing foreach side edge of the fabric on the respective beds yam guides threadedonly at such edge location and knitting principally on one bed only butcrossing over during each pattern repetition to knit at least one stitchon the other bed and thereby seamlessly interconnecting the panels offabric on the respective beds into side-by-side tubes of fabric and uponconversion from bifurcated to unitary construction employingintermediate yarn guides so utilized for connecting the front and backpanels at the respective adjacent edges of the bifurcated portionsdun'ng knitting thereof to knit a corresponding number of stitches atcorresponding repetition intervals on adjacent needles located in thesame bed but used in formation of the opposite bifurcated portion duringknitting thereof, and thereby forming a unitary portion of seamlesstubular fabric joined seamlessly to the bifurcated portions; thepatterning being such that each guide stitches alternate courses on agiven needle and stitches intervening courses on adjacent needles,alternate intervening courses being stitched respectively first on aneedle immediately adjacent on one side of the given needle and in thesame bed and second on another needle immediately adjacent the givenneedle, on the opposite side and in'the same bed except in the oppositebed for the intermediate guides during formation of the bifurcatedportions only.

l l l 0'

1. In double needlebed warp-knitting, wherein a pair of panels of fabricof equal band width are knitted opposite and parallel to one another andtheir opposing lateral edges are knitted together simultaneously to formseamless tubular fabric, the improvement comprising forming a basicfiligree-like net construction thereof with four basic yarn guide bars,being two bars per bed, each bar having its yarn guides threaded two-in,one-out, four-in, one-out over substantially the entire panel width andout of phase with one another; patterning each basic bar to stitch witha four-course repeat, yarn from each threaded guide stitching insuccessive courses on a given needle, then on an immediately adjacentneedle to one side of the given needle, then back on the given needle,then on an immediately adjacent needle to the other side of the givenneedle, and repeating; interconnecting the edges with four outerconnector yarn guide bars, being two bars per bed, one bar at eachfabric panel edge, each connector bar having only a single guidethreaded; and patterning the respective outer connector bars to stitchin like manner to the basic bars but interchanging from bed to bed uponreaching the edges of the band and thereby connecting the fabric panelsalong their edges into seamless tubing.
 2. Warp-knitting according toclaim 1 to form a furcate fabric article comprising a plurality ofside-by-side partial-width tubes for part of the article length andbordering an intervening locus of furcation, and forming unitarypartial-width tubes for the rest of the article length; includingknitting with four intermediate connector yarn guide bars, two per bed,each having only one guide threaded, along each such locus of furcationin place of threaded guides of the respective basic bars thereat,patterning the intermediate connector bars like the outer connector barsto interconnect intermediate edges of the respective side-by-side tubesthroughout the furcate part, and patterning the intermediate bars likethe basic bars for the unitary tubing throughout the rest of the lengthof the tubular fabric to form the basic net construction. 3.Warp-knitting bifurcated tubular fabric according to claim 2, utilizingchain readings for the respective yarn guide bars substantially asfollows:
 4. Warp-knitting according to claim 3, utilizing startingpoints substantially as follows: TABLE I Chain Guide Pattern BetweenDrum Bar Link Needles Right 1 2/0 1,2 Right 2 6/4 3,4 Right 3 4/2 2,3Right 4 2/0 2w-1,2w 5 bar out Left 6 0/2 w+2,w+3 Left 7 4/6 w-1,w Left 82/2 w+1,w+2 Left 9 4/4 w-1,w 10 bar out Right 11 2/2 1,2 Right 12 2/22w-1,2w Right 13 2/2 1,2 Right 14 4/4 2,3 wherein the band width is 2wneedles.
 5. Process of Raschel knitting alternately bifurcated andunitary seamless tubular fabric having a filigree-like net construction,comprising utilizing a plurality of partially threaded rows of yarnguides knitting a panel of fabric on a front needlebed, utilizing apluRality of partially threaded rows of yarn guides knitting a panel offabric on a back needlebed, each such row of yarn guides being threadedx-in, y-out, z-in, y-out, where each of x, y, and z (respectively, four,one, and two) is greater than zero but small with respect to the totalnumber of needles in the band width, with the unthreaded yarn guides inthe rows for each bed being out of phase with one another; utilizing foreach side edge of the fabric on the respective beds yarn guides threadedonly at such edge location and knitting principally on one bed only butcrossing over during each pattern repetition to knit at least one stitchon the other bed and thereby seamlessly interconnecting the panels offabric on the respective beds into side-by-side tubes of fabric and uponconversion from bifurcated to unitary construction employingintermediate yarn guides so utilized for connecting the front and backpanels at the respective adjacent edges of the bifurcated portionsduring knitting thereof to knit a corresponding number of stitches atcorresponding repetition intervals on adjacent needles located in thesame bed but used in formation of the opposite bifurcated portion duringknitting thereof, and thereby forming a unitary portion of seamlesstubular fabric joined seamlessly to the bifurcated portions; thepatterning being such that each guide stitches alternate courses on agiven needle and stitches intervening courses on adjacent needles,alternate intervening courses being stitched respectively first on aneedle immediately adjacent on one side of the given needle and in thesame bed and second on another needle immediately adjacent the givenneedle, on the opposite side and in the same bed except in the oppositebed for the intermediate guides during formation of the bifurcatedportions only.